I’m writing an article about buyers wanting to back out of a home sale at different stages of the closing process and what the financial and legal penalties might be at these different stages. I’m especially interested in gaining insight from a legal perspective. 1. Can you explain the legal difference between backing out before versus after closing documents are signed, and after the deed is recorded? At what stage is it too late to back out? 2. How common is it for sellers to seek specific performance if a buyer backs out? When is it actually pursued versus only threatened? 3. What does “cold feet” look like from a legal exposure standpoint? 4. What advice would you give to a home buyer who regrets their purchase but is too late to cancel? Seeking responses from real estate attorneys licensed in multiple states or in high-volume states such as CA, TX, FL, or NY.